Inspection and testing requirements for new and/or modified plumbing installations within commercial and/or residential structures are commonly dictated by regulations imposed by local, state and/or national authorities. Regulatory tests and inspections for new and/or modified plumbing installations are intended to provide verification of the plumbing integrity to ensure leak-free installations. Individuals authorized by the regulatory authorities generally conduct regulatory tests and inspections of new and/or modified plumbing installations. These authorized individuals typically include plumbers or other professionals licensed within the regulatory authority's operating jurisdiction.
For example, the regulatory tests for plumbing drain waste vents (DWV), pressurized plumbing supply lines and pressurized fuel gas lines (e.g., natural gas, propane) generally include the following operations: i) seal the plumbing installation such that it will hold pressure; ii) pressurize the plumbing installation to a minimum prescribed pressure; iii) monitor the pressure at the start of the test period (start pressure); iv) monitor the pressure at the completion of a prescribed test period (end pressure); and v) record the pressure drop within the plumbing installation that occurred over the prescribed test period (start pressure—end pressure). Pressure monitoring is typically conducted using analog and/or digital pressure gauges with minimum pressure readout resolution, as dictated by regulatory requirements. The authorized individual conducting the test typically files an inspection report after completion of the testing. The report generally includes a written statement by the author stating the details of the testing performed and results of the test.